Welcome Video Message

Hello, I'm Frantz Merine, Chief Information Officer @ Columbia Law School.

It is my pleasure to welcome you the Law School Information Technology Department, and to speak a little about Information Technology service offerings at the law school.  

The IT department is focused on two key objectives:

1) Service and Support of Teaching, Learning, and Research activities at the Law School.

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2) Maintaining a secure, reliable, and efficient IT enterprise, both for now and planning for the future.

IT is part of a large collection of services here at the law school. I would like to highlight some of these services, and the service delivery model of Just in Time & Just for Me.

[Just in time]. Your Journey with the university has just begun. It will be a synergistic and rewarding relationship, providing opportunities to be your best. Some of your best work will be done here, often with the use of technology.   There’s a great deal of information to be shared and absorbed during Orientation. Most of this information can be found on the Law School’s website, however you do not have to know where everything is, right now or at this very moment. Information is unfolded in a just in time and just enough model, often with an email alert providing you with a reminder regarding a call to action, a daily digest of events called LawCal, or a link to timely and specific information. On that note, I encourage you to check your LionMail account regularly. LionMail is Columbia University branded Gmail, powered by Google Suite for Education. Activation and other details regarding LionMail can be found in your welcome packet, or on the IT website @ law.columbia.edu/it.

[Just For Me]. Access to personalized information. The law school website gives you private and secure access to your course schedule, class roster, seating chart reservation system, lockers signup, and other course management features. These services are available in both desktop and mobile platforms. We encourage you to activate your LawNet account and to download the Law School app called Lawnet from the Apple App Store or Google Play. The mobile app will literally provide personalized information at your fingertips. Please visit law.columbia.edu/lawnet for details. 

In addition to personalized information, we encourage you to personalize your experience. Come visit the IT Helpdesk and share your thoughts and ideas regarding IT Services. The IT helpdesk is located in room 131 of Jerome Greene hall, or send us an email at [email protected]. Here at Columbia University, we have the opportunity to work with many dedicated and talented professionals. The Law School IT team is unique blend of friendly, qualified, and dedicated professionals. There’s over 100+ years of combined IT experience at your disposal. The IT team is all in and committed to your success. But we cannot do it all alone, it’s a partnership. If technology ever becomes overwhelming, or confusing, please reach out to us. We are at your service and we are here to help.

Also, stop by to share your ideas. Every academic year, we get to reimagine IT and reinvent services. We're always in a state of continuous improvement.  The IT services you see today, were built in part, by the ideas and requests of students who came before you. In the spirit of mass collaboration: If we all chip in, the effort will be minimal and the benefits great. 

On behalf of the other IT professionals on staff, I'd like to relay a hearty welcome from them to you. I hope we get chance to meet once you're settled in. In the meantime, I’d like to wish you continued success and a fun filled academic year. 

There’s no other place I’d rather be. And I’m sure after you meet your classmates, a few staff members and members of the faculty, you too will agree. There’s no other place you'd rather be than Columbia Law School.

All the Best and thank you.